The Nurse’s Role In Informatics
ANSWER
Nursing informatics is a nursing specialty in which a nurse uses technology such as a computer to document data such as vital signs and make educated decisions based on the data. A nurse specializing in Nursing Informatics must play several roles in their line of work. The roles are data gatherer, information user, knowledge user, and knowledge builder. Each of these roles contributes to the efficiency and accuracy of Nursing Informatics.
Nursing Informatics has both advantages and disadvantages. Technology can be fantastic, but it can also be devastating. No technology is perfect, and if something goes wrong, it can be costly. Nursing informatics is becoming increasingly common in today’s healthcare systems. Nursing Informatics can be found in almost every doctor’s office, hospital, or healthcare facility. Most doctors and nurses now use computers rather than paper charts to document data. This reduces the amount of time spent writing by half and allows for more time with the patient.
There are numerous benefits to using Nursing Informatics. One such benefit is that Nursing Informatics allows for more time spent on the patient. With Nursing Informatics, the nurse can use an external database, such as a computer, to quickly enter data and avoid having to copy the data into another document. Another advantage of Nursing Informatics is that the data can be viewed on any device rather than just one. This enables the file to be easily accessed and transferred. Honey (2010), Carr (2010), Irvine (2010), and Westbrooke (2010)
There are benefits to using Nursing Informatics, but there are also drawbacks. One significant disadvantage is that no technology is perfect. Like any other system, a computer network can crash, files can be lost, and computers can become virally infected. Because the files are typically backed up on multiple devices, such issues are rarely catastrophic. This disadvantage is easily avoidable if the necessary precautions are taken. Another disadvantage of Nursing Informatics is the requirement for many external databases or computers. Computers are not cheap, and neither is computer training. In addition, with the purchase of new computers, new employees who specialize in database users may be required.
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